Executive Order 10976—Suspension of the Eight-Hour Law as to Laborers and Mechanics Employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

WHEREAS by section 1 of the act of August 1, 1892, 27 Stat. 340, as amended by the act of March 3, 1913, 37 Stat. 726 (40 U.S.C. 321), the service or employment of all laborers and mechanics employed by the Government of the United States upon any public work of the United States is limited to eight hours in any one calendar day, except in case of extraordinary emergency; and WHEREAS by Proclamation No. 2914 of December 16, 1950, the President proclaimed the existence of a national emergency and that emergency still exists; and WHEREAS the attainment and maintenance by this Nation of a clearly leading role in aeronautical and space achievement has become a vital national objective; and WHEREAS in order to achieve this objective it is essential to conduct the Nation's aeronautical and space program with a major national commitment of manpower, material, and facilities, and to pursue this program with all possible speed and efficiency; and WHEREAS the development and administration of our national aeronautical and space program are the primary responsibility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, I hereby find and declare that as to public work being performed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration an extraordinary emergency exists within the meaning of section 1 of the said act of August 1, 1892, as amended by the said act of March 3, 1913, and that the service or employment of laborers and mechanics employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on any public work need not be limited to eight hours in any one calendar day, Provided, That overtime compensation at no less than time and one-half shall be paid in accordance with applicable law to all laborers and mechanics so employed. This order shall remain in force and effect during the period of the national emergency declared by the said Proclamation No. 2914 unless sooner terminated by Executive order of the President. JOHN F. KENNEDY THE WHITE HOUSE, November 15, 1961